1990 New York Yankees season

MLB yearly infobox
name = New York Yankees
season = 1990
misc =

current league = American League
y1 = 1901
division = Eastern Division
y2 = 1969
Uniform logo =
ballpark = Yankee Stadium
y4 = 1976
city = New York City, New York
y5 = 1903
owners = George Steinbrenner
managers = Stump Merrill and Bucky Dent
television = WPIX
(Phil Rizzuto, Tom Seaver, George Grande)
MSG
(Tony Kubek, Dewayne Staats, Al Trautwig)
radio = WABC (AM)
(Jay Johnstone, John Sterling)|

The New York Yankees' 1990 season was the 88th season for the Yankees. The team finished in seventh place in the American League East with a record of 67-95, finishing 21 games behind of the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees' first last-place finish in 24 years. New York was managed by Stump Merrill and Bucky Dent. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium.

Offseason

Notable transactions

* October, 1989: Dickie Noles was released by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/n/nolesdi01.shtml Dickie Noles page at Baseball Reference] ]
* October 4, 1989: Steve Kiefer was released by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kiefest01.shtml Steve Kiefer page at Baseball Reference] ]
* November 20, 1989: Rafael Santana was released by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/santara01.shtml Rafael Santana page at Baseball Reference] ]
* November 21, 1989: Pascual Pérez was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/perezpa01.shtml Pascual Pérez page at Baseball Reference] ]
* December 12, 1989: Hal Morris and Rodney Imes (minors) were traded by the Yankees to the Cincinnati Reds for Tim Leary and Van Snider. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/learyti01.shtml Tim Leary page at Baseball Reference] ]
* December 20, 1989: Rick Cerone was signed as a free agent by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/ceronri01.shtml Rick Cerone page at Baseball Reference] ]
* February 17, 1990: Mariano Rivera was signed as an amateur free agent by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/riverma01.shtml Mariano Rivera page at Baseball Reference] ]
* March 13, 1990: Orlando Miller was traded by the Yankees to the Houston Astros for Dave Silvestri and a player to be named later. The Astros completed the deal by sending Daven Bond (minors) to the Yankees on June 11. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/silveda01.shtml Dave Silvestri page at Baseball Reference] ]

Death of Billy Martin

Multi-time former Yankees manager Billy Martin was working as a special consultant to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner when he was killed in a one-car crash in Binghamton, New York, on Christmas Day in 1989. Martin had been drinking heavily with his friend, William Reedy, who was driving the pick-up at the time of the accident. When Martin was killed, the media reported that he was a passenger in his pickup truck. However, Peter Golenbock, in his book "", makes the case that Martin was the driver and that his wife and Reedy covered up the truth. According to the HBO TV series "Autopsy," [ [http://www.hbo.com/autopsy/episode/episode_1_billy_martin.html Autopsy: Billy Martin] ] forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden performed the autopsy on Martin and investigated the accident scene, including the pick-up truck in which Martin died. The autopsy revealed that Martin's impact injuries were all on the right side, and that hair and other DNA found on the right side of the shattered windshield belonged to Martin, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. The conclusion of the autopsy study was that Reedy drove the pick-up.

Billy Martin was eulogized by John Cardinal O'Connor at St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, before his funeral at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York. His grave is located about 150 feet from the grave of Babe Ruth. The following epitaph by Billy Martin himself appears on the headstone: "I may not have been the greatest Yankee to put on the uniform but I was the proudest." Former President of the United States Richard Nixon attended Martin's funeral. The Yankees started the season with a small number 1 on their left sleeves.

Regular Season

* October 3, 1990: Cecil Fielder hit two home runs at Yankee Stadium to finish with 51 for the season. The 50th home run was hit off of Steve Adkins. Fielder would be the first Major Leaguer since George Foster in by|1977 to hit 50 home runs in a season. It was the 18th time that a major leaguer (and the 11th time that an American League player) hit for 50 home runs in a season.

eason standings

Notable transactions

* April 29, 1990: Luis Polonia was traded by the Yankees to the California Angels for Claudell Washington and Rich Monteleone. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/polonlu01.shtml Luis Polonia page at Baseball Reference] ]
* May 11, 1990: Dave Winfield was traded by the Yankees to the California Angels in exchange for Mike Witt. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/winfida01.shtml Dave Winfield page at Baseball Reference] ]
* June 4, 1990: Clay Parker and Lance McMullen (minors) were traded by the Yankees to the Detroit Tigers for Matt Nokes. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/parkecl01.shtml Clay Parker page at Baseball Reference] ]
* September 24, 1990: Deion Sanders was released by the Yankees. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sandede02.shtml Deion Sanders page at Baseball Reference] ]

Draft picks

*June 4, 1990: 1990 Major League Baseball Draft
**Carl Everett was drafted by the Yankees in the 1st round. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1990&round=1&draft_type=junreg Baseball Draft: 1st Round of the 1990 June Draft - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
**Sam Militello was drafted by the Yankees in the 6th round. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/militsa01.shtml Sam Militello page at Baseball Reference] ]
**Ricky Ledée was drafted by the Yankees in the 16th round. Player signed June 5, 1990. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/ledeeri01.shtml Ricky Ledée page at Baseball Reference] ]
**Andy Pettite was drafted by the Yankees in the 22nd round, but did not sign. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pettian01.shtml Andy Pettitte page at Baseball Reference] ]
**Jorge Posada was drafted by the Yankees in the 24th round. Player signed May 24, 1991. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/posadjo01.shtml Jorge Posada page at Baseball Reference] ]
**Shane Spencer was drafted by the Yankees in the 28th round. Player signed June 7, 1990. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/spencsh01.shtml Shane Spencer page at Baseball Reference] ]

Roster

Pitching

Other batters

Relief pitchers

References

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/1990.shtml 1990 New York Yankees]
* [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1990&t=NYA 1990 New York Yankees team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]